Better than this
by CindyBaby
Summary: He was just going out for a smoke, and in a perfect world he would have returned to his spot at the bar.
1. Chapter 1

**A few months back a very brutal rape took place in my country. The number of men involved was between 10-20, and even though people saw what was happening they did nothing, one person even walked past the rape on the stairs (it was in a stairwell) but still did nothing. When the poor woman after several hours was allowed to leave people refused to help her, some even calling her gross because she was covered in blood and sperm. Eventually she managed to walk to a hospital and got the care she needed. Now 3 men are on trial but I want to scream that every single one that saw what happened, or saw her later and refused to help should be on trial as well. Even more, so far the trial indicates that the men will be freed as they are no longer being held. It seems the judges do not believe her despite all the evidence, dna, video films of the event etc. The reason is very clear…**

 **She is a drug addict and she met one of the men while trying to buy heroin.**

 **I'm sad, horrified and deeply ashamed for my country. So I guess the point of this story is to care. We are capable of such greatness, such kindness, and yet we don't allow ourselves to feel it. Why?**

 **We have to do better than this. We have to better than this.**

 **I don't own Four Brothers or any of it's characters.**

When he was very young he always fought back. That fight later vanished along with his self esteem. He'd been told so many times that he was worthless, that he thought that he deserved nothing more. A lot had happened since then, now he had a mother and he had brothers. He knew he didn't deserve this, and he sure as hell was going to fight until his dying breath. They'd jumped him when he stepped out for a smoke behind Jonny's and there were a lot of them. He'd taken down 3, but 2 were still standing and a well sent blow flipped him to his back, a hard weight landing on his chest. He looked up at a grinning mouth with disgusting teeth. A hand grabbed his hair, yanking his head back and he hissed in anger. Angry and frustrated at being restrained he still fought back.

"Calm down now boy, you're way to pretty to be so angry" A finger traced his lips and he bared his teeth, biting down hard and making the man howl in pain. "Motherfucker!" A sharp blow to his head made his vision swim, but he shook it off as he felt his shirt being ripped from his body, leaving the tattered remains hanging from his arms.

"Fuck you" he managed to spit out despite the pain in his jaw from the punches he'd taken.

The other man held his arms down tightly and despite his struggles he couldn't get free, every time he thought he was close he received another punch, leaving him dizzy. He laughed in his face and Jack snarled. The other man traced his fingers down Jack's left arm, lingering on the scars left from his past. The needle mark invisible, unless you knew what you were looking for, unless you had seen it before.

"Don't worry, I think you're really gonna like what I have, and it'll make you stop fighting so hard".

He dragged in a deep breath, his lungs hurting from the effort. _No, please no…_ But a Mercer didn't beg, so he bit the words back, his head turning to the side just in time to see the man at the end of the alley standing staring back at him. Hope flared in his heart like a rocket launcher and his hands tightened into fists once again. Help was on it's way he thought, I just need help up, that's all I need. That hope died, as the man turned and left without a glance backwards. He wanted to scream after him, call after him to please stop, please help, but he knew it didn't matter. The man was gone, and hopelessness returned. He tried to twist as he felt hands on his belt, but another blow to the head nearly made him throw up, and he was sure he now had a concussion. He heard the door to the bar open, heard the screaming but was barely able to feel the weight on his chest being lifted.

"Motherfuckers! Jonny, get back here now!" A voice he didn't remember hearing before shouted. The weight was gone and that was all that mattered. He struggled to sit up, dimly registering that while his belt was undone, the button and zipper was still in place. The relief that flooded him acted as sedative and the last thing he saw was Jonny standing over him, phone in hand and a furious expression on his face.


	2. Chapter 2

**I used the line in this story in one of my other one's, because I now realized that it fits Bobby Mercer better than the one it was usually intended for.**

 **I don't own Four Brothers or any of it's characters.**

He loves the way he fights, violently and with no mercy.

He doesn't love a lot of people, actually there is only 4 on that list. His Ma, and his brothers. That's it. They get all of it. With his love comes things that he's sure they would at times rather not have, especially a blonde kid with eyes too big for his pale face. He's controlling, ruthless and desperate in his attempts to keep him safe, and sometimes he knows Jack hates it. It doesn't matter, as long as he's still alive to hate him. Jack's been retreating into himself a lot lately, causing Bobby to spend a lot of time outside his room on the floor, in case the nightmares come back.

They do, of course. And as the awaited scream rips through the house they all spring into action, Bobby is the closest from his perch right outside his door and when Angel and Jerry crowd into the room, Ma close behind, he already has him in his arms, a mop of hair pressed tightly against his neck. Angel takes a seat next to them on the bed and Jerry on the floor, both reaching a hand up to keep on Jack, anywhere they can reach. Just so he knows that they are there. Evelyn hesitates in the doorway before retreating back to her own room. She knows that right now she isn't what Jack needs.

Jack stumbles in to the kitchen in the morning, his oldest brother already up or maybe he never went to bed, Jack muses. Bobby is crazy like that. Without asking Bobby gets up and pours him a cup of coffee, placing it gently in front of him.

"There's a recap of the game on soon. Up to watching it?"

He nods slowly, and pads after his oldest brother into the living room. Soon a blanket is placed on him, and a part of him wants to comment on Bobby's mother hen routine. A bigger part of him just want to enjoy it. They used to do this all the time back when he was younger and the nightmares came almost every night. He's haven't had one in quite a while, but he knew enough about his brain to understand that recent events triggered it. He shudders as he remembers the weight on his chest, Jonny's worried face, phone pressed tightly against his ear. Shouting over the line that even he could hear. Sirens, screaming, Angel gripping his hand, Bobby's face looking down on his. A long corridor, with flashing lights. Jerry calling his name.

" _Hold on, just hold on"_

He doesn't know who said the words.

He must have dosed off, because he awakes to a knock in the door and Bobby is up like a flash. He cranes his head to see that it's Jonny.

"He's asleep" He hears Bobby's gruff voice. "I, I thank you" Jack blinks at the sound of his oldest brother sounding so… grateful. "Fuck, I… If you hadn't been there…"

"Hey none of that. I'm just glad Lucky was taking out the trash earlier. Who the fuck knows what those son's of bitches would of done to em"

"I know" Bobby's voice was dark "infortunately for them, they won't live to regret it"

"About that… Here's what you asked for. Idiot paid with card"

Jack's heart started beating faster and before he knew what he was doing he was on his feet gasping slightly as he hurried forward, only to have to lean on the doorway.

"Please don't Bobby"

His brothers eyes snapped to his. "Jack what are you doing up?"

"I heard and…"

Bobby cut him off. "That's nothing for you to worry about okay Jackie"

"Hey Jack, glad to see you on your feet" Jonny offered, a rare soft look on his weathered face.

"Thanks" Jack mumbled, lifting his head slowly feeling vulnerable, wondering what the older man had seen. "And thanks for…" He gestured, not knowing how to go on.

"Don't mention it" Jonny assured him quickly, probably sensing how uncomfortable the youngest Mercer was. "I have to get going, see you soon"

When the door closed Bobby turned slowly to look at Jack's pale face.

"Bobby"

"No" His voice determined, yet oddly soft "Don't ask that of me".

His mouth snapped shut, whatever protest he'd been forming now trapped. "Okay".

Bobby smiles a little at that, a relieved sad smile as he helps him down on the couch again. "Get some rest my little fairy, I'm gonna make another cup, you want one?"

He nodded eagerly. "I think there's cookies in the cupboard"

"Really now" Bobby mumbled.

In the middle of the night Jack wakes by his door opening and softly closing. He more feels than hears the thud as his brother slides down to take a seat on the floor next to his bed. He hears Jerry and Angel's mumbled voices as they both close their doors. Reaching down he finds Bobby's hand and clasps it tightly in his own, ignoring the feel of the dried blood on his knuckles.


End file.
